Jacob hoiiner



(No Model.)

J. HOHNER. MOUTH HARMONICA.

No. 588,920. Patented Aug. 24,1897.

A. L A

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE.

JACOB HOHNER, OF TROSSINGEN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO MATTHIAS HOHNER, OF SAME 'PLAOE.

MOUTH-HARMONICA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 588,920, dated August 24, 1897.

Application filed January 30, 1896- Serial No. 57?,M6. (N0 model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JACOB I-I OHNER, manufacturer of musical instruments, residing at Trossingen, in the Kingdom of lViirtemberg, Germany, have invented a new and useful Improvement in lllouth-Harmonicas, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in mouth-harmonicas.

The object of my invention is to produce a harmonica in which the covering-plates will have the maximum amount of freedom to vibrate, will inclose as large a volume of air as possible without being unwieldy, and will present no sharp edges to the lips of the performer.

WVith these objects in View my invention consists in the features and details of con struotion which will first be described in connection with the accompanying drawings and then particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1. is a front elevation of a harmonica embodying my invention; Fig. 2 a plan view, Fig. 3 a rear elevation, Fig. 4 a transverse section, and Fig. 5 an end view, of the same.

Referring to the drawings, A is the basepiece to which is secured on opposite sides the two reed-plates a in the usual manner. Each cover-plate B rises from its line of contact with the front of the corresponding reedplate in a curve, which continues in an upward direction to near the middle of the width of the reed-plate and then curves downward toward the rear of the reed-plate, rising again in a curve, extending upward and toward the rear. At each end each cover-plate is provided with lugs or ears I), separated from each other and preferably formed integral with the respective cover-plate, these lugs or ears being secured upon the reed-plate in any suitable manner, as by rivets passing through the opposite lugs and through the reed plates and base-piece A.

By my construction the following advantages are obtained, which do not result from any construction hitherto known to me, viz:

The mouthpiece-that is, the front portion of the instrument, which must pass between the lips of the performer-is kept as thin as possible, this being due to the curved form of the front portion of the cover-plates. Owing to these curved front portions there are no sharp corners or edges to come in contact with the lips of the performer.

Each cover-plate is free from sharp angles or ridges, and hence is as free as possible to vibrate throughout its entire width, as such sharp angles or ridges serve to stiffen the plate and hinder it from fulfilling its function as a sounding-board. This freedom of vibration is greatly extended by securing the coverplates at the ends by lugs or cars, which are separated from each other. Thus, as will be readily understood, each cover-plate is held only at four points by narrow lugs and, being without any ribs, ridges or corners, is perfectly free to vibrate throughout its entire length and width, even down to its line of contact with the reed-plate at the front. Such a result adds largely to the power of the instrument and has not been achieved by any construction in harmonicas hitherto known to me.

In addition to the above advantages the curved form of cover-plate permits the latter to extend higher above the reeds about the middle of their lengths, thereby giving more room above them without increasing the thickness of the mouthpiece or producing a clumsy instrument, as would be the case if the front portion of the cover-plate sloped upward in a straight line to the same height and then extended backward in a flat surface, as in those constructions hitherto known. By this increase in the space between the reeds and the cover-plate a larger volume of air, to be thrown into vibration, is inclosed and the power of the harmonica, for that reason, greatly enhanced. Besides this such an enlarged space gives better opportunity for the passage of air to or from the reeds, and hence a purer clearer tone results.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A mouth-harmonica having a cover-plate whose cross-section is a curve, said curve rising' from the line of contact of its front edge specification in the presence of two subscrib with the reed-p1ate toward the rear of the ing witnesses. harmonica and 111 s at each end separated 7 7 i T from each other and supporting the covering- JACOB H01 5 plate from the reed-plate, substantially as \Vitnesses:

described. AUGUST B. WANTZ,

I11 testimony whereof I have signed this CHRISTIAN BAUER. 

